Editor's Semi-Dark Matter

* Dark Matter may not matter. An article is currently being peer-reviewed by the Astrophysical Journal that states that there may not be anything such as dark matter. The authors claim that other explanations can account for the large amount of gravity needed to keep a galaxy together. The theory is that relativity in a galaxy explains a kind of gravity that increases with mass in a manner greater than linear. However, they don't have an explanation for clusters of galaxies. Reported in space.com.

* In recent weeks a new Kuiper Belt Object has been found that is at least as large as Pluto. Also, two new moons have been found around Pluto. Question: if we keep finding new moons for Pluto can we still call it a planet?

* At the AIC2005 conference (pg. 4) Lisa Frattore gave us these facts:
a) The Hubble is available for observing for 45 minutes out of each 97 minute orbit.
b) Autoguiding on the Hubble can make corrections at the rate of 40 times per second.
c) Hubble has taken 700,000 exposures.
d) The total amount of data from Hubble is 23 terabytes, 15 gigabytes per day.
e) 3900 astronomers have done research using the Hubble.
f) The signal path for Hubble is (at least sometimes): Hubble, TDRSS - communications satellite, antenna at White Sands in New Mexico, back up to another geosynchronous satellite, back down to an antenna in Maryland and then by land line to the STSci.